The two killings of Afghanistan
We hold the people in our hearts
For every video like this:
I am gratified to see videos and photos like these:
These happier outcomes for people seeking to leave Afghanistan do not remove the stain we leave in that country. How could things go so wrong? Here’s more from Matt Zeller:
On Wednesday, the U.S. embassy in Kabul announced in a security alert:
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT CANNOT ENSURE SAFE PASSAGE TO THE HAMID KARZAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
Later on Wednesday, U.S. Department of Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sought to reassure people watching our tattered exit. Pres. Joe Biden announced that American troops will stay in Afghanistan for as long as it takes to get Americans out.
As for non-Americans who want to get out: Let the videos be our motivation. Those of us who have the luxury of watching this from afar, what can/should we do about this?
I am so disappointed in the administration's poor planning & execution. A well thought out evacuation plan for both Americans and others who assisted us should have been in place before allowing the Taliban to advance. Now? Getting people out should be the priority. Process people after they are out.
What we can do from where we sit is contact our state's refugee organizations (IRIS in CT), and ask how you can assist incoming refugees from Afghanistan (& other countries like Democratic Republic of the Congo). These people arrive after fleeing with whatever they can fit in a suitcase or bag they can carry. I have trouble packing a suitcase for a vacation sometimes. I can't imagine filling only a suitcase for a forever move! They need apartments, furniture, food, winter clothes, jobs...we can help with these things. Their spouses and children need help learning English, enrolling in school, maybe help with homework...we can help with these things. They need help with figuring out public transportation and eventually getting drivers' licenses...we can help with these things, too. We can encourage our country and state to welcome refugees.
We can do things, but not everything. So we do what we can do, which is something.
I hold Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump & Biden along with the last 10 Sessions of Congress responsible for our being in this endless war while ignoring the Saudi, UAE, Egyptian & Lebanese governments whose people sponsored and conducted the attacks on our soil on 9/11, and at the same time credit President Biden for having the courage to pull us out, holding out hope that this Administration can safely extract our citizens and their allies.
It’s the Jungian thing…
https://youtu.be/KMEViYvojtY